Korean Team Unveils Breakthrough All-in-One Cancer Nanomedicine

In a groundbreaking advancement for cancer treatment, a team from the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS) has developed an innovative nanomaterial that could transform cancer care.This “all-in-one” nanomedicine, known as gold-iron-gold nanodisks (AuFeAuNDs), integrates diagnosis, treatment, and immune activation into a single platform. Still in pre-clinical stages, this discovery shows significant potential for various cancers, including prostate cancer.

The AuFeAuNDs are trilayer nanodisks with outer gold layers and an iron core, created using advanced nanoimprint lithography. This structure enables three key functions: real-time tumor visualization through photoacoustic imaging, with optimal results 6 hours after administration; multi-modal treatment via photothermal therapy, where gold layers convert laser light into heat to destroy cancer cells, and chemodynamic therapy and ferroptosis, where the iron core triggers chemical reactions and oxidative stress to induce programmed cell death; and immune response activationby releasing damage-associated molecular patterns, boosting cytotoxic T cells and increasing immune cell counts by up to three times, potentially reducing cancer recurrence.

Tested in tumor-bearing mice, the nanodisks demonstrated effectiveness in imaging, treatment, and immune stimulation.

Gold nanoparticles, similar to those in the nanodisks, have been studied for prostate cancer, with a 2019 study showing their ability to ablate tumors using photothermal therapy and others demonstrating radiation sensitization and targeted delivery via Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen targeting. The nanodisks’ photothermal capabilities, magnetic guidance, and immune activation align with these approaches, suggesting potential future applications, though specific testing is needed.

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